Ebels Family Center, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.1

HATS Category IV: Ante-mortem Inspection At approximately 0700 on Wednesday 06/22/2022 while performing ante-mortem inspection, the following noncompliant condition was observed: A large, black, beef heifer was observed to have its head entrapped in a watering tank. The animal had expired due to either asphyxiation or drowning. The animal was contained within pens 3 and 4, along with 6 other bovine animals. The entrapped animal had put its head into the tank to drink and got the support bar that was welded into the tank behind the poll of its head, preventing it from freeing itself. Since the animal was already deceased and the bar that had entrapped the animal had to be cut out to remove the carcass, no enforcement actions were taken. This is a violation of 9 CFR 313.1(a) which states pens shall be free from “...unnecessary openings where the head, feet, or legs may be injured shall be repaired.” Continued failure to meet regulatory requirements may result in enforcement actions as described in 9 CFR 500.4.

313.2

HATS Category III: Feed and water availability HATS Category V: Suspect and disabled At approximately 0700 on Tuesday 03/29/2022 in the animal holding pens, while preforming antemortem inspection, the following noncompliant conditions were observed: An animal holding pen, containing eight bovine animals was determined to be overcrowded, by not allowing animals reasonable access to water or the ability to lay down, while contained in the pen. The holding pen in question is approximately 7x15 feet. Seven of the beef were standing, side to side, without enough room to independently turn around. The eighth beef was non-ambulatory and against the eastern wall at the time of inspection, and due to the overcrowded pen did not have room to stand from its position. At no time was the disabled animal stepped on by any other animal, but it was repeatedly collided with as the other animals attempted to reposition in the pen. The pen card used to identify animal owners, or lot numbers had the non-ambulatory beef labeled as “1 black cripple” and it was similarly noted on the establishment’s receiving notebook; meaning the establishment employee who unloaded the animal was aware that the animal was not fully sound, and still put it in a pen with other animals. IPP instructed barn personnel that the disabled animal could not be penned with other animals, however, the holding pens were all full at the time, meaning slaughter operations would need to begin to be able to clear some room. Within 10 minutes, enough room was cleared to move the seven beef out of the pen, which allowed the disabled animal enough room to get up, allowing IPP to preform antemortem inspection on the animal. The above conditions are violations of 9 CFR 313.2(d)(1) which states that all disabled livestock shall be separated from normal ambulatory animals, and 9 CFR 313.2(e) which states that animals will have access to water and that there will be sufficient room in the holding pen for animals held overnight to lie down. REDACTED, barn manager, was informed of the noncompliant conditions and that a noncompliance record would be issued. No similar noncompliance records have been issued in the past ninety days; however a very similar NR was issued on 07/01/2021. Continued failure to meet regulatory requirements may result in enforcement actions as described in 9 CFR 500.4.

313.1

HATS Category VII: Slips and Falls At approximately 1025 on Thursday 01/20/2022 in the animal holding pens, while preforming ante-mortem inspection, the following noncompliant condition was observed: Multiple slips and falls, by various Holstein steers, were observed in the eastern pens (pens 5-7) while performing antemortem inspection tasks. The eight Holstein steers had been delivered approximately half an hour before IPP observed the animals. Upon arriving at the holding pen area, IPP observed one of the steers was lying in a sternal recumbent position. Upon IPP approaching the pens, the animal farthest to the front (north) of the pens slipped and fell fully onto its chest, with all four legs splayed in different directions, but was able to get back to its feet relatively quickly. The establishment employee accompanying the IPP, who had up to this point been behind the IPP, moved down the center alley to attempt to get the beef that was laying down to get up. When the establishment employee approached the pen, another of the steers farther back in the pen slipped and fell fully on its chest. At that time, IPP informed the establishment employee that something needed to be done to prevent further slipping and falling. The employee then got a bag of sawdust to help the animals get traction while they were being moved out of the pen and into the chute leading to the stunning area. However, before the sawdust was fully spread out or the animals could be moved out of the pen, another steer slipped and briefly fell onto its side, landing mostly on its hip area, bringing the total of animals falling to three out of the eight in the pen, not including the animal that was already down presumably for the same reason. At that point, the seven animals that were standing and were approved for slaughter were moved out of the pen, and into the chute. The above conditions are a violation of 9 CFR 313.1(b) due to there being inadequate footing for livestock allowing animals to slip and fall. Since all the ambulatory cattle were removed from the pens, and since those were the last beef for the slaughter day, no regulatory control action was preformed on any of the pens. IPP informed REDACTED, humane handling coordinator that a noncompliance record would be issued due to the animals slipping and falling. Continued failure to meet regulatory requirements may result in enforcement actions as described in 9 CFR 500.4.